Many a passionate cook has written to me with stories of meringue woe, most commonly: “I whisked the eggs and sugar to within a very inch of their lives and after a good twenty minutes the meringues looked like old bubbles disappearing on the surface of a bath. Lorraine, what have I done wrong?”
There a few simple tricks to ensure you achieve a meringue so shiny and stiff, you will want to stick it on the shelf and frame it. From the Guardian, to Delia, to Rick Stein to BBC Good Food, there are some great tips out there, but this is my take on the mystery of meringue...
Always start with a large bowl - a well-whipped egg white can increase eight fold with the correct amount of whisking. Pop in four medium egg whites, or if you are using the pasteurised version which comes from supermarkets in a carton, add 150ml/5fl oz of this genius stuff. (Do bear in mind though that pasteurised egg whites will never increase so much in volume as our fresh friends.) Add the tinniest of lemon squeezes; a couple of droplets is all it needs. This will stop the egg whites from being over whisked.
A "stiff peak"
Next begin whisking the eggs. Now the brave amongst you will be doing this with a balloon whisk. While I do use the balloon whisk for many different things, whisking up egg white is not one of them. An electric whisk makes this job so much easier and a lot more fun. The whites will turn from a yellowy tinged transparent mixture to an opaque grey fluffy one. Keep whisking as the eggs begin to increase to twice their volume. This is called the soft peak stage. Stick a whisk in, get a bit of white on the end and then turn the whisk, upside down. The mixture will just flop off at best. Now take 220g/8oz of caster sugar and add about one-third of it to the mixture.
Whisk the mixture and watch the magic begin to happen... it will begin to double in size again. Keep whisking until the whites go a shiny brighter white. Stick the whisk(s) in again and then turn one upside down. The little bit on the end should be stiffer, but still a little floppy. Add another third of the sugar and whisk the egg whites again, and then repeat with the remaining sugar. The trick is to whisk up the egg whites and sugar well every time between each addition. If your mixture looks runny after you have added the first lot of sugar and whisked it up, don’t add any more sugar until the mixture begins to firm up.
You will know when you have a stiff peak when you can hold the bowl right over your head and the mixture stays in. Or, a less risky way of testing is, as you have done before, whisk in the mixture then turn it upside down. The peak should be stiff shiny and really, really white, like a silky vinyl white emulsion paint.
Watch the neighbours' curtains twitching enviously as you parade your stiff shiny meringue peak proudly around your kitchen! So now all you need to do is decide how to serve them. What’s your favourite meringue recipe? Are you a lover of lemon meringue pie, fruity pavlova or never-out-of-fashion Eton mess? And do you have any good tips for making meringue?Lorraine Pascale is the presenter of the new BBC Two series Baking Made Easy.
FAQs
How to Make Meringue Successfully
- When making meringues, always cook egg whites to avoid salmonella poisoning.
- Don't use packaged egg whites to make meringue. ...
- Use fresh egg whites. ...
- Use eggs at room temperature. ...
- Never let any yolk get into the whites.
- Don't overbeat egg whites.
The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.
How do you know when meringue is mixed enough? ›
The “peak” refers to the tip of the meringue that you'll see on the bottom of the whisk attachment when you remove it from the mixer. You'll know that you've reached that stiff peak stage when the tip doesn't move when you turn the whisk upside down (so that the tip is now on top) or move it around.
How much cream of tartar per egg white for meringue? ›
It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake. The ratio is usually 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every egg white.
What are the common mistakes to avoid while preparing meringue? ›
7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meringue
- Adding Sugar Too Quickly.
- Skipping Cream of Tartar.
- Mixing in a Dirty Bowl.
- Using Cold Eggs.
- Overbeating the Egg Whites.
- Squeezing the Air Out.
- Baking at Too Low a Temperature.
Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.
Is cream of tartar or cornstarch better for meringue? ›
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.
Can you over whip meringue? ›
Turn the whisk around and examine the bottom of the meringue that was collected on the whisk. It should have soft but distinct formed waves on the bottom. If the meringue is chunky, the waves are chunky, or there are too many little hard peaks all over the meringue, that means you've over whipped.
Are older eggs better for meringue? ›
Thanks to the modern mixer, meringue making is a lot easier and older eggs aren't necessary. In fact, older eggs create a less stable foam because the liquid drains more easily from the bubbles. As a general rule of thumb, if stability is more important than volume, use fresher eggs.
What happens if you add sugar too early to meringue? ›
If you add the sugar too quickly then the mixture will never acquire the stiff consistency you want. You also need to be careful if you've used extra ingredients to flavour your meringues. Oils (such as those in nuts or zest) and liquids can stop the egg whites from stiffening, so you have to experiment with amounts.
Slow and steady is the fast and hard rule for any meringue. Start slow when whipping the whites for small and stable bubbles, slowly up the tempo so you don't over beat and then slowly add the sugar. This goes for your oven too. We're not cooking, so much as drying out the meringue.
How to test if meringue is done? ›
To test if they're done, pick one up; it should feel very light. Tap the bottom; it should feel hollow. Break one open; it should be dry. Taste the broken one while it's still warm; it should melt in your mouth.
What happens if you put too much cream of tartar in meringue? ›
Keep in mind that more cream of tartar doesn't necessarily mean a better, more stable result. “Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.
Can I skip cream of tartar in meringue? ›
If you find yourself in a pinch in the kitchen, you can swap white vinegar for cream of tartar. This substitute works best when stabilizing egg whites for recipes like soufflés and meringues. Simply use an equal amount of white vinegar in place of cream of tartar when you're whipping egg whites.
Is lemon juice or cream of tartar better for meringue? ›
The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...
Why isn't my meringue getting fluffy? ›
Fats, water, or dirt may compromise the meringue and prevent it from achieving the fluffy heights you desire. Avoid plastic bowls, which can retain traces of oil. Separate your eggs carefully. Enough yolk will also prevent the egg white proteins from binding together in the way you need.
What is the main ingredient in meringue which makes it light and fluffy? ›
There are three main ingredients in a meringue recipe that interact to form the foam structure: egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar or acid. The backbone of the foam structure is made up of proteins, amino acid chains. Egg whites provide the meringue with necessary proteins that form the meringue foam.
What makes meringues chewy in the middle? ›
Chewiness. The chewiness of the meringues is created by cooking the meringues at a slightly higher temperature for a shorter time, thereby keeping some of the moisture inside. They will also go a slightly milky coffee colour.
